Photographic washing apparatus



y 16,1944- 1. A. WILDMAN PHQTOGRAPHIC WASHING APPARATUS Filed June 1, 1943 Patented May 16, 1944 s'm Y zslaozs PATENT ,oFFic-s Claims.

This invention relates to photographic washing apparatus, and more particularly to apparatus of this character designed for home or amateur use.

The present application is in the nature of a continuation in part of my prior co-pending application, Serial No. 446,370, filed June 9, 1942.

An object of the invention is to provide an paratus, in the form of a convenient unit, which may be placed upon and supported by any suitable receptacle, such as an ordinary sink or basin. and which is provided with means whereby one or more film holders may be suspended therefrom so as to be immersed in water contained in the receptacle, and whereby such film holdeis may be continuously reciprocated, so as to thoroughly wash the film.

A further object is to provide improved means for imparting an irregular oscillating movement to the film holders as they are reciprocated, thus producing a more efilcient washing operation.

' In order that the invention may be readily understood, reference is had to the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification and in whichthus, by means of the link 5 and crank arm 8, oscillating the rock shaft 3. I have shown a flat, open tray a, secured to the rock shaft at a point between the brackets, said tray being adapted to receive and'support a standard developing tank, as set iorth i i-my said prior copending application, S. N. 446,370, but such tankis not illustrated herein.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. 2, it

forms no part of the present invention and hence will be seen that one end of the shaft 3, designat- Fig. l is a side elevation of my improved apparatus as it appears when supported on an ordinary sink or the like, parts being shown tion; Fig. 2 is a' plan view of the apparatus;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation thereof looking from the side opposite to that of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a detailed view showing one of the parts detached.

Referring to the drawing in detail, my improved apparatus comprises a. base i, preferably oi elongated form, and which may conveniently consist of a wooden board or the like, to which cleats i are secured. As shown in Fig. 1, this is adapted to rest upon and be supported by any suitable receptacle such as a tub, sink or the like, shown at (K.

Secured to the base i are a. pair of upstanding brackets 52, in which is journalled a transversely extending rock shaft 3.

Fixed to one end of the shaft 3 is a crank arm 6 (see Fig. 3) and this is connected by means oi a pitman or link 5, with acrank t, secured to the end of a shaft projecting from a gear box as the motor 53 runs, the gearing in the hex l ss in seced 3, projects laterally beyond the edge of the base i, and to such projecting end is rigidly secured'a horizontally extending bar H), from each end of which depends a flexible link H, which, by means of a double ended hook it, engages and supports a hollow film spool i3. It will be understood that the film spools are thus suspended from the bar ill in such position that they are immersed in water in the sink or receptacle X. Thus as the shaft 3 is oscillated, the spools i3 are reciprocated in the water in order to thoroughly wash rolls of film which may have Just been developed. 1

The links H are preferably constructed as elastic or resilient elements, such as coil springs or rubber bands, sothat they are not only flexible, and capable of being-twisted, but are also capable' of yielding, 'as the bar oscillates. Thus, whatever the nature oi the link II, this link, together with the hook member i2 carried thereby, constitutes flexible means suspending the film spool in such a manner that it is freely movable in all directions.

In order to impart to the film spools an oscillating. movement in addition to their recipro- .ca.tion, and thus produce an irregular agitating movement for moreeflective washing of the film, I secure to the lower end of each spool a radially extending paddle or propeller blade l4. This is shown as attached to a hub l5, carried by a rod it) embedded in a plug. I! .of rubber or the like, similar to a bottle stopper. This plug is inserted tightly into the open lower end of the spool. As the spool is moved up and down in the water, by means of the bar ill, the paddle or blade l4 tends to rotate the spool, first in one direction and then in the other, thus producing a kind of irregular oscillation. The irregularlity of themovement is'iurther increased by reason of the yielding of the elastic elements II which support the spools.

While I have shown a bar i0, providing a pair of arms, each capable oi supporting a spool at its end, it will, of course, be understood that a single arm, attached at one end to the shaft, may be employed instead of the bar, if desired.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that my improved apparatus is extremely simple in construction and operation, and is designed for handling standard film spools. It will also be clear that the base, on which the driving mechanism is mounted, constitutes a convenient unit which may be readily placed upon and supported by any ordinary household receptacle capable of containing water, such, for example, as a tub, basin, or kitchen sink, and that the cleats I on the under surface of the base are provided to prevent accidental dislodgment of the base from a supporting receptacle.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus of the class described comprising a portable fiat base member adapted to be supported in a horizontal position above any suit able open receptacle. containing a liquid, an arm pivotally mounted on said base to swing in a vertical plane, and means by which a film spool may be suspended from said arm at a point clear of and below said base member, in such position as to be immersed in the liquid in said receptacle, said means being flexible, whereby said spool is freely movable in such liquid in all directions, and means on said base member for continuously reciprocating said fihn spool vertically in the liquid.

2. Apparatus of the class described comprising a base constructed to rest on and be supported in a horizontal position by any suitable receptacle containing a liquid, said base being narrower and longer than said receptacle, an arm pivotally mounted on said base to swing in a vertical plane at a point beyond the side edge thereof, means on said arm for suspending a film spool below said base in such position as to be immersed in the liquid in said receptacle, said means including a flexible link, capable of being twisted, and

a member depending from said link and con--,

structed to engage said spool, whereby said spool is freely movable in all directions, and means on said base for continuously oscillating said am and thus reciprocating said film holder in the liquid. 3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, in which additional means are provided for causing the film holder to oscillate as it is reciprocated.

4. Apparatus of the class described comprising a base, an arm pivotally mounted thereon to .swing in a vertical plane, a link suspended from 

